Shiselweni – The Shiselweni Regional Development Team met this week to unpack the findings of the 2025 State of the World Population Report during a session organised by the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development’s National Population Unit in partnership with UNFPA Eswatini. The engagement, held in the Shiselweni region, brought together regional development partners, government departments and community representatives to reflect on population trends and their implications for Eswatini’s future.
Senior Regional Administrator Senamile Mbuli opened the session with a heartfelt welcome, expressing appreciation to the Ministry and UNFPA for hosting the dialogue in Shiselweni. “Siyabonga kakhulu UNFPA and the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development for lomsebentini lomuhle leniwenyako,” she said. Mbuli reminded the participants that the future of Shiselweni rests in their hands, urging collaboration in shaping local development strategies.
OWETHU MAVUSO, an intern, reported that throughout the engagement, participants raised two recurring concerns: the region’s high unemployment rate and the rising cases of gender based violence. Nontokozo Simelane from the Ministry of Health spoke candidly about a fear shared by many parents in Eswatini. She spoke of the uncertainty facing unemployed children if their parents were no longer there to provide support.
UNFPA representative Lucas Jele provided an overview of the global demographic shifts reflected in the report. He noted that fertility rates are declining worldwide and that the global population is expected to peak within this century before gradually declining. This trend, he said, would lead to societies with more elderly people and fewer young ones, potentially transforming economies, labour markets and community structures.
Jele explained that the real challenge lies not in population numbers but in the lack of reproductive agency, which is the ability of individuals, especially women, to make free and informed choices about their reproductive lives. He said reproductive agency goes beyond policy and requires creating conditions where people have access to healthcare, economic opportunities and protection from violence so they can make meaningful choices for themselves and their families.
Participants later engaged in group discussions, brainstorming possible steps to address unemployment and gender based violence while promoting inclusive development. The session ended with a shared commitment to develop strategies that empower communities in Shiselweni to take charge of their future.
Discussion about this post